Libyan journalists threatened with government interference
Libyan journalists in the capital of Tripoli have received direct threats from the government warning that their press permits will be revoked if they fail to adequately cover all government activities in 2026, according to the Libya Review on December 4th.
These threats were delivered merely days before the launch of “Tripoli Media Days”, a notable event that the western Libyan administration, the Government of National Unity (GNU), claims will promote and expand media freedoms.
Several press reports have stated that the coercive message was sent late on December 3rd by Badr Shaniba, who is the Director of the Foreign Information Department at the Libyan Foreign Ministry.
Journalists who had seen the message in a WhatsApp group used for official communication revealed that Shaniba stated that every single accredited media institution in western Libya is “obligated” to attend and cover all government announcements that run through his department.
Shaniba’s message warned that any media outlet or individual correspondent who fails to comply with his demands will have their 2026 press accreditation revoked. He sought to justify the directive by arguing that the Foreign Media Department protects journalists from interference, and therefore expects total coverage in exchange.
The department overseas the operations of international media within the country and closely regulates their output. Ever since Libya’s late dictator Muammar Gaddafi was deposed in 2011, journalists have reported that the department has only grown even more restrictive.
The 2025 World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), ranked Libya 137th out of 180 countries, labelling the North African nation a “true information black hole” which suffers from a high degree of state interference in the media.
Gaddafi-era legislation, which continues to be enforced, was itself highly restrictive. One example includes “The Publications Law” which stipulates that media outlets must gain prior authorisation from the Department of Publications before initiating operations. Failure to do so “imposes prison sentences of no less than six months.”
Such regulation unilaterally strips away media independence and grants the state near-total command over the media’s reporting. This political interference greatly inhibits the Libyan population’s ability to hold their state institutions to account – a right of incredible importance within a nation struggling to push through an unstable transition to democracy.
Furthermore, journalists argue that these policies have been built on with even heavier and more suffocating restrictions designed to curtail independent coverage of government activity. They claim that this clampdown has been propelled under the authority of Walid Al-Lafi, the State Minister for Political Affairs and Communication.
The message issued to journalists immediately sparked outrage across the press and was labelled as “political extortion” by political activist Khalil Al-Hassi. He also noted the irony of the government enacting such blatant overreach whilst preparing to host an event which will claim to champion press freedom.
Libya Review, Anadolu Agency, RSF, Maghrebi.org
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